Rubber articles made from a plurality of uncured rubber components typically must be held together in some manner during the building and curing process. Some methods of joining uncured rubber components include mechanical methods such as stitching and joining with adhesives. Solvent refresh agents, such as toluene and hexane, may also be used to temporarily increase the tack inherent in the uncured rubber sufficiently to join the rubber components for building and curing. However, conventional refresh agents are typically highly volatile compounds. In addition, adhesives add weight to the rubber article by creating an additional layer of material between the two rubber layers that are being joined. Mechanical methods may not be effective in all building processes that range from highly automated to entirely manual.
Certain alkanes or cycloalkanes, commonly known as light Naphtha, have been used to clean and remove uncured rubber from machinery. This is a much different use than as a refresh agent to temporarily bond uncured rubber.
Example rubber articles that typically incorporate a plurality of uncured rubber components that are joined by some mechanism while curing is performed are rubber air springs and tires.